In general, integrated circuits formed on a semiconductor wafer undergo an electric test to determine whether or not they have predetermined electric characteristics (that is, determination of whether or not the integrated circuits are good). In such a test, all the integrated circuits on one wafer are tested at a time or in several batches with use of an electric connecting apparatus electrically connecting electrodes of the integrated circuits to electric circuits of a testing apparatus.
The electric connecting apparatus for use in such a test includes a wiring base plate having a plurality of connection portions to be electrically connected to the electric circuits of the testing apparatus, a probe board arranged on a lower side of the wiring base plate and having a plurality of internal wires electrically connected to the connection portions, and a plurality of contacts (that is, probes) attached to a lower surface of the probe board and electrically connected to the internal wires, for example, as described in Patent Literature 1.
In recent years, with use of such an electric connecting apparatus, the integrated circuits are tested under a high temperature or a low temperature. In this case, the integrated circuits are heated or cooled to a predetermined temperature by a heat source provided in a stage on which the integrated circuits are arranged. For example, in a case where the integrated circuits are heated by the heat source, the probe board having arranged thereon the contacts is also heated by receiving radiation heat from the stage and the integrated circuits. As a result, the integrated circuits and the probe board are thermally expanded.
However, since a heat expansion amount of the semiconductor wafer and a heat expansion amount of the probe board differ, relative positional relationship between the electrodes of the integrated circuits and tip ends of the contacts changes, and the contacts whose tip ends are not pressed on the electrodes of the integrated circuits inevitably exist.
The semiconductor wafer is heated by the heat source provided in the stage to cause the temperature thereof to be constant at a certain temperature after several hours, and the probe board is also heated by radiation heat to cause the temperature thereof to be constant at a certain temperature after several hours. Since measurement can be started when the temperatures are constant, and when relative positions between the electrodes of the integrated circuits and the tip ends of the contacts are stable, it takes considerable time until start of measurement.
Patent Literature 2 proposes an electric connecting apparatus in which a probe board is provided with a heat generating body, the temperature of the probe board is measured, and electric power for heating to be supplied to the heat generating body is controlled based on the measured measurement value.